US jobless claims surge after Thanksgiving, but low layoffs is still the prevailing trend in the labor market

From morningstar.com

So-called initial jobless claims rose by 44,000 in the seven days ended Dec. 6 from a more than three-year low of 192,000 in the prior week. The numbers are seasonally adjusted. Jobless claims tend to gyrate during the holiday season that runs from Thanksgiving to early in the new year. That's exactly what has happened the past few weeks. Many businesses hire temporary help and then let the workers go. Some people who are laid off also wait until after a holiday to apply for benefits. The four-week average of new claims tends to give a more accurate view of what economists call churn in the labor market. Monthly ... (full story)